Proceedings of the Pennsylvania Yearly Meeting of Progressive Friends

Create in me a clean heart, 0 God, and renew a right spirit within me. The trees of the Lord are full of sap: the cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted.

0 Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches.

FROM THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES.

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto them.

And there was strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest, and he (Jesus) said unto them:

The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise lordship over them are called Benefactors.

But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he that is chief as he that doth serve.

And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.

But when Jesus saw it he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God.

Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them and blessed them.

Theodore Parker then offered a very impressive prayer, after which he proceeded to deliver a discourse " Of the Progressive Development of the Conception of God in the Books of the Bible," which commanded the fixed and earnest attention of the whole assembly. The discourse will be found in another part of this pamphlet.

Josiah Wilson, Isaac S. Flint, Thomas Garrett, Thomas HamBleton, Edward Webb, Sidney Peirce Curtis,.Dinah Mendenhall and Susan F. Peirce, were appointed a Committee to settle with the Treasurer, report the state of the finances, and nominate a Treasurer for the ensuing year.

Theodore Parker then delivered an impressive discourse "Of the Ecclesiastical Conception of God, and its Relation to the Scientific and Religious Wants of the Age." This discourse will be found in another part of this pamphlet.

The multitude outside the house, which had greatly increased since the morning session, was addressed by Charles C. Burleigh, Eusebius Barnard, Edwin H. Coates, Josiah Bond, and Amos GilBert. The orderly deportment of the people, and the close attention paid to the remarks of the speakers, evinced a hearty interest in the principles and purposes of Progressive Friends.

SECOND DAY—MORNING SESSION.

Joseph A. Dugdale read, as peculiarly appropriate to the occasion, the following poem; at the same time expressing his regret that it could not be sung.

A HYMN OF THE BATTLE.

BY THOMAS L. HARRIS.

Can ye lengthen the hours of the dying Night,

Or chain the wings of the Morning Light?

Can ye seal the wings of the Ocean deep,

Or bind the Thunders in silent sleep? The Sun that rises, the Seas that flow, The Thunders of Heaven, all answer, "No!"

Can ye drive young Spring from the blossomed earth?

The Earthquake still in its awful birth?

Will the hand on Time's dial backward flee,

Or the pulse of the Universe pause for thee? The shaken Mountains, the Flowers that blow, The pulse of the Universe, answer, "No!"

Can ye burn a Truth in the Martyr's fire,

Or chain a Thought in the dungeon dire;

Or slay the Soul, when it soars away

In glorious life from the mouldering clay? The Truth that liveth, the Thoughts that go, The Spirit ascending, all answer, "No!"

Ye have builded your temples, with gems impearled, On the broken heart of a famished world; Ye have crushed its heroes in desert graves, Ye have made its children a race of slaves:

O'er the Future Age shall the ruin go?

We gather against thee, and answer, "No!"

Ye laugh in scorn from your shrines and towers, But weak are ye, for the truth is ours. In arms, in gold, and in pride ye move, But we are stronger; our strength is love.

Slay Truth and Love with a curse and blow?

The beautiful Heavens! they answer, "No!"

The Winter Night of the world is past; The Day of Humanity dawns at last; The veil is rent from the Soul's calm eyes, And Prophets and Heroes and Seers arise; "Their words and deeds like the thunders go: Can ye stifle their voices? they answer, "No!"

It is God who speaks in their words of might! It is God who acts in their deeds of right! Lo! Eden waits like a radiant bride— Humanity springeth elate to her side:

Can ye sever the twain who to Oneness flow?

The voice of Divinity answers, "No!"

John G. Jackson, from the Committee on the nomination of Clerks, submitted a report, recommending the appointment of Joseph A. Dugdale, Oliver Johnson, and Sidney Peirce Curtis. The recommendation was approved, and they were appointed accordingly.

Epistles were received from the Waterloo (N. Y.), North Collins (N. Y.), and Michigan Yearly Meetings of Friends of Human Progress, and from a Meeting of Progressive Friends, lately held at Wayne, Ashtabula County, Ohio. The spirit of these communications, and the noble sentiments they conveyed, made them peculiarly welcome. They also afforded cheering evidence of the progress of the cause in which we arc engaged.

From the Ohio Yearly Meeting no communication was received.

A letter from M. E. Goddard, of South Reading, Vt., was read, enclosing a Call for a Convention of Friends of Human Progress, to be held at Rutland, in the same State, on the 25th, 26th, and 27th of Sixth month, 1858. This Call, signed by more than one hundred and fifty men and women, was addressed to "all philanthropists and reformers, in and out of the State;" to "friends of free thought," "men of all religious creeds, and men of no creed," earnestly inviting them to come and " take counsel together on the great topics of reform." The letter and Call were referred to the Committee of Correspondence, with instructions to prepare a suitable communication to be sent to the Convention in behalf of this body.

Letters of a cheering character were also received from the following persons, viz:—

Charles K. Whipple, Thomas W. Higginson,

Samuel May, Jr. James Freeman Clarke,

Thomas J. Mumford, William H. Fish,

Joshua R. Giddings, Aaron M. Powell,

David Prince, Henry Charles,

William Lloyd Garrison, Pliny Smith,

Charles D. B. Mills, Jemima Webster.

Cheered by the noble sentiments, and grateful for the admonitions conveyed in these letters, the Meeting directed the Clerks to send to each of the writers a copy of our proceedings. The letters were referred to the Revising Committee, to be published in full or in part, as they may deem best.

Theodore Pabker then delivered a discourse " Of the Natural
or Philosophical Idea of God, and its Relation to the Scientific and Religious Wants of the Age." This discourse will be found in another part of this pamphlet.

AFTERNOON SESSION.

Edward Webb, from the Committee on Finance, presented a Report, showing the whole amount received in the past year from contributions and sales of pamphlets to be $253 23; the expenditures $246 29; balance in the treasury $6 94. The Committee recommended the appointment of Isaac Mendenhall as Treasurer for the ensuing year, and he was appointed accordingly. The Meeting then proceeded to take contributions to defray the expenses of the current year. The amount of payments and subscriptions was $284 06

Theodore Parker then delivered a sublime and deeply-affecting discourse " Of the Soul's Normal Delight in the Infinite God." He was listened to with heartfelt pleasure by a crowded audience. The discourse is printed in this pamphlet.

The Committee on Education, appointed two years ago, submitted the following Report, which, after brief remarks by Joseph A. Dcgdale, William Barnard, and William Lloyd, was accepted.

REPORT ON EDUCATION.

The Committee to whom was referred the subject of Education, report:

That they have been unable to make any arrangements for the organization of a Seminary of Learning; partly in consequence of the general derangement of financial affairs during the past year, and partly from a diversity of opinion as to the most feasible plan.

A part of the Committee were in favor of a large Institution, embracing the greatest possible variety of studies. Others thought it would be better to establish a School for instruction in the English branches only, with especial reference to the wants of common life. They agreed that the boarding department should be so arranged as to preserve the family relations and character, sufficiently to secure the pupils from those immoral influences and violations of physiological laws, which so frequently undermine the moral purity and the physical health of the students in our Colleges and Universities.

The Committee submit the subject to the Yearly Meeting, as one of the most important that can possibly engage its attention.